


Tony's Hoard

by Neverever



Category: Avengers Assemble (Cartoon)
Genre: Hoard, M/M, Magic, Obsession, dragon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 13:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15171404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverever/pseuds/Neverever
Summary: Tony is turning into a dragon, with interesting consequences for Steve.





	Tony's Hoard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [picturecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/picturecat/gifts).



> Written as part of the Stony Loves Steve event.
> 
> Picturecat asked for a story about Steve or Tony being a dragon and thinking that the other one is part of their hoard. I hope that this story matches your expectations!
> 
> Big thanks to my beta who helped a lot with cheerleading.

“Seriously, have I told anyone today how much I hate magic?” Clint said. 

“Three times in the past hour,” Sam answered from the workbench.

Steve didn’t disagree. In general, the team, with the exception of Thor, took a dim view of magic. Their recent tangle with Dormammu hadn’t changed their opinions much, especially Tony. Then again, Tony was sort of morphing into a dragon at the moment, so maybe he was due an attitude adjustment.

Tony was currently holed up in his suite working on a solution for his predicament. And a cure for itchy scales and tail. 

“Any news?” Steve asked. He ran a hand through his rapidly drying hair -- he’d just stepped out of the shower and went to check on Clint and Sam in case they’d found anything during the few minutes he’d taken for himself. Natasha was working with SHIELD and Thor was off in Asgard looking for an answer there.

“Dr. Strange is on a magical mystery tour through the universe at the moment,” Clint groused. “He should be back any day or year now, he wasn’t all that precise when Kid Genius located him.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Dr. Strange said he’s looking for a solution.”

This was kind of out Steve’s depth. Punching people, robots and tanks were more in his wheelhouse. “I should check in with Tony,” Steve said, pointing his thumb in the direction of Tony’s suite. 

Sam grabbed a tablet from his worktable. “I’ll come with -- I need to take some readings.”

~~~~~

Steve had been to Tony’s penthouse suite a couple of times before. But he didn’t remember the suite being this hot or low-lit. Or having a humongous mountain of pillows in the middle of the living room.

Tony was perched near the top of Pillow Mountain with a couple of laptops and was surrounded by holographic screens. His tail now snaked down through the pillows and he looked to be developing wings.

Steve frowned. “Where did you get all the pillows?”

Never looking up from his work, Tony waved a hand. “You know, around.”

“Around?”

“Here and there. Any news from Strange?”

Sam replied, “He’s still looking.”

Tony nodded. “Guess I’ll have to keep waiting.”

“You’re doing okay?” Steve asked, genuinely worried about Tony turning into a dragon. Tony was easily one of his closest friends and he didn’t want to see Tony hurt in any way.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. No problem. The tail’s awkward and I can’t stop itching. And I hate the whole magic deal. Other than that, I’ve got enough work to keep me busy until Strange returns with the antidote.”

“Corrective spell,” Sam said. “It’s definitely a magic solution.”

Steve said, “Call us if you need anything.”

As they turned to leave, Tony smiled and twirled his tail. “Why don’t you stay, Steve? Hang out, catch the game?”

“Sure, Tony,” Steve agreed. “Which game?”

“There’s a game on somewhere, right? Always something athletic going on.”

~~~~~

Five hours later, Steve was a world expert on analyzing curling on television. He was always amazed at what Tony could get on the Tower’s entertainment systems. But all they could find were reruns of a curling tournament on streaming for some reason. At least Tony found the physics of the game fascinating. To the point of watching hours of matches. 

Steve had settled down in the mound of pillows, sitting a bit below Tony. Tony’s tail twitched around him. Now, he was glad to spend time with Tony in any circumstances. He’d been developing a silly, little crush on Tony since the team had reunited. Well, not exactly a little crush, probably better described as huge crush. Tony was actually the greatest.

So Steve was not going to complain about sitting on pillows, eating popcorn and debating the physics of a granite rock on an ice sheet as long as he was doing it with Tony. Even if Tony had adorable little horns sprouting from his forehead and gorgeous red scales on his neck.

But it had been a long, long day starting with the Dormammu fight, and Steve was yawning and ready to go to bed. 

“I should be going, Tony,” Steve said.

“You haven’t been here all that long.”

Steve checked the time on one of Tony’s holoscreens. “I’ve been here for five hours. I should go to bed. Maybe check in with Sam about the cure.”

“I have to sleep here. Why don’t you use my bed?”

Steve was tired enough to agree. “Okay,” he said as he started the climb down the pillow mound.

Tony pointed the direction to his room with his tail. “Over there. The robots changed the sheets this morning.”

~~~~~

Uncharacteristically, Steve overslept for the first time in years. Tony’s bed was huge and unbelievably comfortable, and he didn’t have to go for a run that morning, really, or lift weights or anything that meant he had to get out of that bed. He rolled away from the light peeking around the edges of the blackout curtains to snuggle deeply into the sheets.

It was only when his stomach grumbled for the third time that Steve knew he had to finally get up. 

He pulled on his jeans and shirt, planning to head to the kitchen. Apparently Tony had different plans. “I had breakfast brought up here,” Tony announced to Steve. 

There was oatmeal, coffee and a couple of sad-looking bananas on a table shoved in the corner. But it was Tony who was the main attraction. At some point during the night, he’d totally transformed into a dragon from snout to tail. And he was gorgeous, with red and gold shiny scales, a blue glowing jewel set in his chest, and amazing wings that spread from wall to wall. Tony still had his sparkling brown eyes. 

“Tony! You’re a dragon!” Steve said, looking up at Tony, still perched on pillow mountain.

“Yes, I woke up this way,” Tony said. He’d already managed to figure out a way to use his laptop and holoscreens despite the talons.

“I should let the rest of the team know --”

“I’ve informed Sam. No news on that front.” Tony unmistakably shrugged like Tony, even with the new dragon body. “Pour yourself some coffee -- I’ve queued up curling.”

“Ohhhh, yeah.” Steve looked at Tony again. He should get in his daily workout. But he wasn’t sure he should leave until he was certain Tony was okay.

Steve watched another 3 hours of curling. And he really needed a workout or some physical activity other than sitting on a pile of pillows, leaning against Tony’s warm, scaly arm.

“I need to go, Tony,” he said.

“Oh, come on, one more game.” 

That’s exactly how Steve ended up watching hours of curling in the first place. He liked curling tons, actually planned to watch more of it in the future, but he was tired of watching television. “Tony, I need to go.” 

Tony curled his tail around Steve, the tip of his tail seductively caressing Steve’s ankle. “Just a little longer. It’s not like the team has any more news.”

Steve folded like a cheap suit. “Okay, another game.”

~~~~~

Steve needed lunch like he needed air. Breakfast hadn’t filled the tank at all. And he was feeling hungry and cranky and a need to escape. 

He liked Tony and he really liked getting to spend time with him, in dragon-form or not. But in all honesty, Steve also needed some space. Especially after he had the creepy feeling that Tony had spied on him when he used the bathroom. Like Tony couldn’t stand to see him out of his sight for even a few minutes.

The game ended and Steve was ready for food. “I’m going to go grab lunch and talk to Sam. Put in a workout.” He got up to leave.

“You can’t,” Tony wheezed, setting a small, heart-shaped pillow on fire. Steve jumped on it immediately and tumbled down the mountain to throw the pillow into the kitchenette sink.

From the safety of the kitchenette counter, Steve repeated, “I’ve got to get lunch.” He hated disappointing Tony, who was the perfect picture of a pouting dragon.

“I can get delivery.” Tony pawed around the pillow mound. “There’s got to be a menu around here somewhere -- or we can order online.”

“We have food in the kitchen,” Steve said firmly. “I need a workout, Tony, I’m getting antsy sitting around. I’ll come back later.”

“How much later?”

“A few hours,” Steve answered honestly. He winced at Tony’s sad sigh. He couldn’t lie to Tony, or anybody, really. 

Tony immediately turned grumpy and flopped down on the pillows. “You have to stay. I’m a dragon.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Steve said, edging his way to the front door, a clear path to escape.

Tony snorted, sending out smoke clouds. “Doesn’t matter.”

Steve had his hand on the door handle. One more step, one push of the door, and he’d be gone. Tony, still smart as a whip, tried to stop Steve with his tail and a fireball. Steve sidestepped the fireball and slammed the door shut behind him.

“How is it going?” Sam asked startled. He had been about to knock on Tony’s door.

“Tony is a dragon.”

“Oh?” Sam arched an eyebrow and then wrote something on his tablet. “I’ll check on him. Bruce needs data.”

A short time later, after Steve raided the team refrigerator and was in the middle of the biggest lunch he’d had in months, Sam arrived. He appeared a bit singed around the edges and his tablet was burnt.

“Don’t ask,” Sam said with a groan. He put the destroyed tablet on the table. 

Clint came in behind Sam. “What’s up with Tony?”

Sam ignored him. “You need to get back there. Or he’ll wreck the Tower looking for you.”

Steve had been disappointed that he had let Tony down by escaping. But, food. “This isn’t Tony.”

Clint smirked. “Ohhh, Tony is a dragon. Dragons hoard things. Isn’t that sweet -- he thinks you’re part of his hoard.”

“I can’t -- I can’t live like that,” Steve said in alarm. 

“Dr. Strange checked in about an hour ago. He has a couple of leads,” Sam told him.

“Good.”

“But he couldn’t tell us how soon he can turn Tony back.”

Steve balled up his napkin. The simple fact was that Tony needed him, even if that meant watching a hundred hours of curling. He could workout any other time. He could probably do some sketching, too, while waiting with Tony. He pulled himself together. “I’ll go talk with Tony.”

Clint said, “Good decision there, Cap. And ask Tony where did all the pillows go in the Tower.”

Sam and Steve exchanged a look. “Yeah, there’s no mystery there,” Sam admitted.

~~~~~

“Tony?” Steve asked hesitantly. The suite was completely dark and quiet and Steve stepped forward carefully, suddenly very concerned.

Tony was batting a couple of pillows between his claws, looking very sorry for himself. He brightened up on seeing Steve. “Steve! I thought someone had kidnapped you.”

“I went for lunch, I told you that.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t come back.”

“It’s been a half-hour.”

“Felt like forever. And now you’re here and we can watch curling -- how about the 2014 Olympics?”

“Tony, we have to talk,” Steve said.

“We don’t have to watch curling -- I could find some baseball somewhere. Are you okay with Little League games?”

Steve climbed up Pillow Mountain. “Can you turn the lights on?”

“But it’s very cozy -- fine, JARVIS, turn on the lights.” Tony laid his head down between his forelegs. Steve wanted to pat him, he looked so sad. “I missed you.”

“Tony, this whole dragon thing is messing with you.”

Tony groaned. “I’m not -- it’s not -- look, it’s not a big deal. You would not believe the amount of work I’ve gotten done --”

“That’s not the problem. No one has any answers yet. As much as I enjoy spending time with you, I can’t be part of your hoard. I have to eat regularly, for one thing.”

“Wait -- that’s not what’s going on --” Tony said indignantly. He dropped his pillows and glared at Steve.

“Curling? All the pillows? You don’t think that’s obsessive?”

“Guess if you put it that way, it sounds bad.”

Steve sat down next to Tony. “If I promise to go a date with you, will that make any of this better?” 

Tony made a discouraged snort and slumped down on his pillow mountain, looking as sad as a magnificent red and gold dragon could look. “I’m going to remember that promise -- and Captain America always lives up to his promises. But it’s just not getting better. I’m going to be stuck like this forever.”

Steve put an arm around Tony’s neck and leaned into the warm scales. “We’re going to find a way, Tony. The team is working hard to find a solution.”

Tony only grumbled in response. 

“It’s going to work out -- we’ll move heaven and earth to do that. And you’ll owe me that date.” Steve kissed Tony’s cheek.

Then Tony shuddered and shook, sending Steve backwards into the pillows. His scales, talons, horn and tail glowed with an intense gold and white light. His wings flexed and flapped as Tony twisted and turned his body.

“Tony!” Steve shouted. He grabbed at one of Tony’s legs as Tony disappeared into the bright light with a snap and popped out of existence.

Steve sat up and blinked as he tried to register that Tony had been there and now was gone.

Then there was an explosion of red and gold and white-blue light and a naked but definitely human Tony rolled out onto the pillows.

“Hey there,” he said as he looked up at a very startled Steve.

“Hi,” Steve replied hesitantly. Tony rolling around on a lot of pillows in his all-together was a scene right out of his dreams. He tried to not stare.

“What am I going to do with all these pillows now?”

Steve smiled, still trying to not stare at Tony. “We’ll figure something out.”

~~~~~

“That was it?” Dr. Strange asked after Tony explained how the spell was reversed. 

Tony checked his tie for the fifth time. He wasn’t entirely sure if Steve would like the restaurant he’d picked. But, then again, he wasn’t taking Steve to the hotdog vendor outside the Tower for their first date either. “Yeah, a kiss. Isn’t that how magic works?”

Strange muttered something under his breath. “Whatever that spell was, at least it doesn’t seem to have any lasting effects.”

‘Wish I could I stay and talk, but my date’s here.” Tony turned to see Steve walking towards them, gorgeous and looking delicious enough to eat. 

He patted Strange’s arm. “Maybe the spell had one lasting effect -- I don’t think I hate magic as much as I did before.”


End file.
